'I stood on top of a sunny hill, imagining I was a Roman': readers' favorite ancient sites in Europe | Cultural trips

Immersed in antiquity, near Florence, Italy

Feeling the need for a brief respite from the crowds and snaking queues of Florence, an afternoon visit to the Etruscan hilltop city of Fiesole do the trick. The settlement is within the archaeological zone and could date back to the 9th century BC. The Romans conquered it in 283 BC. I stood on top of a sunny hill, imagining that I was a Roman, spying on the approach of my enemies. There is much more to see in Fiesole than first meets the eye – including a Roman theatre, Roman and Etruscan artefacts and the remains of Roman baths. This fascinating city is definitely worth the detour, to feel immersed in ancient history.
Alison N.

School of wrestling and mosaics, Cyprus

Cyprus is better known to some for its nightclubs than for its Greco-Roman history, but KourionEstablished on the southwest coast of the island in the 12th century BC, you will find the ruins of an ancient thriving city. With many ruins still intact, you'll get a real sense of the sophistication of these centuries-old civilizations, with a central market, an ancient Greek wrestling school, and numerous public baths adorned with intricate mosaics and underfloor heating dating back to AD 1. The theater is the jewel in the crown, with stunning views of the Mediterranean as a backdrop. It's truly a special place.
Yanni Pitsillides

Neolithic during the Nazi era, Brittany, France

This summer we visited the 6,000 year old Petit Mont Cairn In Brittany. This large cairn stands on a promontory overlooking both the bay of Quiberon and the entrance to the Gulf of Morbihan. It contains two stone chambers housing numerous Neolithic and Gallo-Roman engravings. However, it must be the only Neolithic site to have also served as a gun emplacement and bunker during the Second World War. The juxtaposition of concrete on ancient stones is a bizarre spectacle. The bunker has been transformed into a small museum and the old gun turret offers a panoramic view of this exceptional place. The cairn is a short walk from the lively area Port of Crouesty. Entrance is €7.
Clear

Ruins of the Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria

A place where gods and humans can commune through the wonder of nature, the Perperikon was a sacred place even before written history, founded by the Thracians in the fifth millennium BC. It is one of the largest fortresses in Europe and archaeological studies continue, but it was almost certainly a place of worship of Dionysus rivaling Delphi, and later hosted the Romans, Goths and Bulgarians. I found the ancient plumbing and sacrificial rites fascinating and the views over the surrounding forests to the gentle peaks of the Rhodope Mountains breathtaking.
Gergane

Roman theater all to ourselves, North Macedonia

While visiting North Macedonia, my wife and I visited Heraclea Lyncestisjust outside the town of Bitola, a site that saw Greek, Roman and Byzantine rule. We were practically the only visitors, which surprised us as the site was so fascinating. Lyncestis has some truly impressive remains, including a theater, Roman baths, and a basilica with intricate mosaic floors that feature vibrant scenes from early Christian iconography. The theater, built under Roman rule, is still in remarkable condition. After exploring the ancient ruins, you can relax and enjoy the charm of beautiful Bitola.
Michael

Where Paul baptized Lydia, Greece

Two hours from Thessaloniki by public coach, then a local hop from Kavala, brings you to the remains of Philippia city founded in 360 BC and named by Philip II of Macedon. This once great city located on the Roman road Via Egnatia crossing the Balkans, where Augustus settled his veterans, is today listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its rural location and vast size mean it seems surprisingly uncrowded and has a good cafe and toilets. Don't forget to head north to a stream beyond the walls (described in the New Testament Acts of the Apostles) where Paul baptized Lydia, perhaps the first European Christian. Soak up centuries of history in peace, but don't forget your sun hat.
John Sexton

In the Spanish Stone Age

Quiet Antequeraa small town in the heart of Andalusiayou can find a collection of breathtaking megalithic ruins. In particular, the Menga dolmen is one of the oldest and largest known funerary monuments in Western Europe, dating from around 3600 BC. I spent a lot of time being amazed at the effort and time that went into constructing its cavernous interior. Better yet, I had the whole place to myself!
Alex

The Portuguese Stonehenge

Almendres Cromlech is a so-called Portuguese Stonehenge that extends on a steep slope facing the sunrise near Évora, in the Alentejo region, 80 miles east of Lisbon. The giant egg-shaped megaliths, dating from the sixth millennium BC, form an asymmetrical figure of eight and, much like the famous Wiltshire monument, the evolution of this enormous stone circle has spanned over 1,000 years. years during the Neolithic period. Prehistoric carvings adorn many of the megaliths, adding further evidence that this is the southwest end of a vast maritime network of trade and belief along the western fringe of Europe.
Mast

Lively Roman routines, Provence, France

A triumphal arch and a magnificent mausoleum mark the entrance to the Roman remains of Glanumlocated at the gates of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, just south of Avignon. In a remote valley at the foot of the Alpilles, Glanum – a Glean, then Greek and Roman settlement (from around 49 BC) dating from around the fourth century BC – is a wonderfully atmospheric site. If you are lucky enough to visit on a calm day, it is perfectly possible to imagine Roman life in the villas, with their baths nearby, while the basilica, forum and temples, including a religious sanctuary, surround a sacred spring, remind you of the importance of Glanum in Roman times.
Diane

Winning Tip: Jersey's Celtic Coin Hoard and Neolithic Gem

La Hougue Bié In Jersey there is an incredible Neolithic ritual site. A burial chamber used between 4000 and 3500 BC sits at the end of a dark underground passage, opening into a deep chamber that aligns with the equinox sunrise. Above the chamber is a large prehistoric mound. Take the winding path to a 16th-century chapel with magnificent views. On site there is also a brilliant exhibition on Le Câtillon IIa hoard of Celtic and Roman coins discovered in East Jersey in 2012 and believed to have belonged to a tribe fleeing the armies of Julius Caesar. Grab some local cheese, bread and Jersey cider and enjoy a picnic in the beautiful park.
Laura Douse